Search

Cerebrocardiac syndrome (CCS) is a common complication after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and its occurrence obviously increases the risk of a poor outcome. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) acts as an inflammatory cytokine and its circulating concentration are related to acute heart and brain injury. The aim of this study was to examine the association of serum concentration of MIF with posttraumatic CCS.From January 2016 to February 2019, 116 sTBI patients and 116 healthy controls with similar age and gender percentage were recruited. Relationship between serum MIF concentration and CCS was assessed using multivariate analysis.Serum MIF concentration of patients were significantly higher than those among controls. Serum MIF concentration were intimately correlated with Glasgow coma scale scores (t = -5.553, P 0.001) and serum C-reactive protein concentration (t = 5.320, P 0.001) in a multivariate linear regression model. 61 patients (52.6%) displayed CCS. Under ROC curve analylsis, there was a strong discriminatory ability for CCS regarding serum MIF concentration (area under curve, 0.834; 95% confidence interval, 0.754-0.897). Serum MIF concentration were highly associated with CCS independent of other confounding factors (odds ratio, 5.608; 95% CI: 1.896-16.587).Increased MIF in serum may be a useful biomarker for early detection of CCS after head trauma.

Background Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) might contribute to brain inflammation after acute brain injury. The current study was designed to investigate whether serum soluble TWEAK (sTWEAK) can serve as a potential biomarker for functional outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods In this single-center prospective, observational study, admission serum sTWEAK concentrations were quantified among 112 aSAH patients. Impact of serum sTWEAK concentrations on a poor outcome (Glasgow outcome scale score 1–3) at 6 months after stroke onset was determined using multivariate analysis. Results Admission serum sTWEAK concentrations were intimately correlated with serum C-reactive protein concentrations, World Federation of Neurological Surgeons scores and modified Fisher scores. A total of 38 patients (33.9%) had a poor outcome at post-hemorrhagic 6 months. Admission serum sTWEAK concentrations were substantially higher in patients with a poor outcome than in the other remainders. Under receiver operating characteristic curve, serum sTWEAK concentrations significantly distinguished a poor outcome. Serum sTWEAK concentrations > 3.23 ng/ml discriminated the risk of a poor outcome with medium-high sensitivity and specificity and independently predicted a poor outcome. Conclusions Serum sTWEAK, in close correlation with inflammation and hemorrhagic severity, might represent a potential biomarker for predicting clinical outcome after aSAH.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and its receptor, lectin-like ox-LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Expression of LOX-1 was substantially raised in the basilar arterial wall of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) rabbits. We ascertained the relationship between serum soluble LOX-1 concentrations and functional outcome after human aneurysmal SAH.We enrolled 94 aneurysmal SAH patients and 94 healthy controls. Serum soluble TOX-1 concentrations were quantified using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. A poor outcome was defined as Glasgow outcome scale score of 1-3.Median values of serum soluble LOX-1 in stroke patients were significantly higher than those in controls (1.5 vs. 0.4 ng/ml, P 0.001). Thirty patients (31.9%) had a poor outcome at 6 months after stroke. Serum soluble LOX-1 was a strong predictor of poor outcome (OR 5.20, 95% CI 1.25-22.04). Serum soluble LOX-1 concentrations exhibited a significant discriminatory capability (area under curve 0.811, 95% confidence interval 0.717-0.884). The predictive powers of World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade, Hunt-Hess grade, modified Fisher grade, and serum soluble LOX-1 concentrations were comparable (all P 0.05).Serum soluble LOX-1 appears to have the potential to become a promising prognostic predictor after human aneurysmal SAH.

The study of species co-occurrences leads to revealing interactions of a wide range of ecological processes. It plays a central role to measure and assess the association between species in a spatio-temporal dimension. The distribution of organisms and the interspecific interactions among species in the communities were investigated using the approach of species co-occurrence patterns. Totally, 114 fisheries species in the Bohai Sea were investigated following fishery-independent data (i.e., a pair of trawlers) during four distinct seasons: winter (January–February), spring (May), summer (August), and autumn (October–November), using a pairwise approach. In the present analysis, the results indicated that the fisheries species association was ‘truly random’, whereas the non-random association was around ten percent among the seasons. The species co-occurrence matrix was more obvious in summer and autumn. Similarly, species individual contribution to the positive and negative interactions was also significant for the same period. However, in the community, 62 fisheries species individuals presented non-random associations. Only the sea urchin (Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus) was non-randomly associated in each season while three fish species (Amblychaeturichthys hexanema, Ctenotrypauchen chinensis, and Eupleurogrammus muticus), one crab species (Charybdis japonica), and one octopus’ species (Octopus ocellatus) among spring, summer, and autumn with others. This understanding of the co-occurrence patterns of different fisheries species could provide more insight into future responses in the Bohai Sea.

Background Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) pathophysiology involves inflammation. Macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is related to prognosis of ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum MIF levels are associated with severity and outcomes in patients with acute ICH. Methods We enrolled a total of 120 consecutive ICH patients and 120 healthy controls and sampled blood on admission and at study entry respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify serum MIF levels. Results Serum MIF levels were higher in patients compared with controls and correlated with hematoma volume, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and plasma C-reactive protein levels. After adjusting for other significant outcome predictors, MIF in serum was an independent predictor of 6-month overall survival and unfavorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score > 2). Areas under receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) of serum MIF levels, hematoma volume and NIHSS scores were similar for 6-month unfavorable outcome. Moreover, serum MIF levels significantly improved areas under ROC of hematoma volume and NIHSS scores. Conclusions MIF in serum might be a potential biomarker for reflecting inflammation, severity and prognosis of ICH patients.

Oxidation coupling of 3-hydroxy-4(1H)-pyridinone with β-dicarbonyl compounds led to unexpected dihydrofuro[b]-pyridinone derivatives, indicating an alternative pathway other than that with anilines or thiols. By this strategy, six novel dihydrofuro[b]-pyridinone derivatives were synthesized.

Four schemes for fitting fat curves are considered. Two of the schemes fit fat curves, assuming that the curvature of the axis curve is specified and two of the schemes fit fat curves to a set of sample points. In each of the two cases noninterval and interval schemes are discussed.

The degradation of four polysilanes in solution irradiated by ultrasonic waves has been studied by measurements of reduced viscosity and dynamic mechanical behavior. In all cases ultrasonic degradation occurs. The ultrasonic waves cause the average molecular weight to decrease and the molecular-weight distribution to become narrower in a relatively short period. The degree and rate of degradation are related to the intensity of the ultrasonic waves. In addition, the degree of degradation decreases with increasing polymer concentration and the rate increases with increasing initial molecular weight of the polysilane. After irradiation, the molecular weights of polysilanes tended to the same value from various initial values.

Variable-radius offset parametric curves and surfaces are defined. The envelopes of these variable offset parametric curves and surfaces are computed explicitly. It is shown that in each case the equations for the envelope surfaces reduce to the familiar offset equations for parametric curves when the radius of the offsets are constant. Some examples are given.